Dry soils weaken cotton’s carbon sink

Changing soil and air moisture affects climate, but new data now shows that drought and heat are reducing the ability of soils to hold water – and with it, carbon – with clear implications for cotton farming.

For cotton standards and programmes, this is also an opportunity. Practices such as cover crops, reduced tillage and compost additions are already part of many schemes and can help soils hold more water and carbon – but new science suggests they will need to go further and faster.